Les Norton works as a bouncer on the door at Kelly's, a Kings Cross nightclub of indifferent repute but, when the story opens, is off work after suffering from a bout of the flu. Like many Australians he decides that a few extra sick days are the go and calls work for a few more days off.

Although he was originally going to use his time to sit back and do as little as possible, he catches wind of a possible job that could earn him $50,000 which has him making his way to the local pizza shop as fast as his legs will carry him.

The owner of the pizza shop is Albanian and seriously connected with the Albanian Mafia. He has written a movie script that he was certain would result in a blockbuster movie, except it has been stolen. It's up to Les to get back the script, along with a few other items that were also in the green bag with an eagle on the side, and return it to the mob boss.

Relying on a mix of pot luck and blind trust Les conducts his hunt for the bag by following tips sent to him through anonymous phone calls. For his troubles, taking this approach leads to very painful results to say the least.

It's at this point that the story takes a puzzling detour as Les decides he needs a key that will unlock any door he needs to get through. Calling in a favour he lines up a bloke in Terrigal and gets a couple of free nights accommodation into the bargain.

So Les heads up north to Terrigal on the Central Coast about an hour and a half outside Sydney. Long time fans of Les Norton books will recognise this kind of indulgent trip because one like it always seems to make its way into every book. In Terrigal Les manages to find the perfect accommodation overlooking the best view in town. He eats at the best small cafe, meets the most amazing girl and then gets himself caught up in a massive fight in which he goes completely over the top with fists and feet. He is also privileged to witness a secret that potentially has huge historical significance. Doest the Terrigal interlude add anything at all to the book's plot? Nope - it all leads nowhere and, as I suggested, amounts to indulgent filler.

Back home in Bondi and Les puts his mind to the original task at hand quickly brings his search to a savage conclusion.

Les Norton books are pure light entertainment filled with lowbrow dialogue spoken by characters of questionable intelligence and even dodgier moral standards. We're supposed to accept Les as a lovable larrikin but I can't erase one word that keeps flashing in blaring neon every time he gets up to his antics: wanker.

The book will appeal to people who don't like to be challenged by convoluted plots and mystifying sub-texts, both are pretty well non-existent here. With an abundance of superlatives to describe every meal eaten and a colloquial tone that just gets plain irritating, there is absolutely nothing new in The Case of the Talking Pie Crust.